The mystery of intelligent long-lived people has been solved

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A number of people of advanced age retain amazing mental acuity. And now scientists have found out how they do it.

Old age, unfortunately, is accompanied by the fading of all body functions, including muscle strength and intelligence. However, in some people over the age of 80, it is so acute that it amazes even scientists. Tests show that the sharpness of intellectual functions in such pensioners can be compared with what can be observed in people decades younger. True, these people are not very many, but they do exist.

And now a study has shown that the owners of excellent intelligence in old age simply have larger neurons associated with memory. Their size is much larger than that of peers who do not differ in sharp intelligence. It is even larger than that of people 30 years younger. Even more important, these large cells did not show tau proteins, which are called one of the key markers of senile dementia.

However, the study did not show how to achieve the increase in these neurons. Can this be done by solving crossword puzzles or learning foreign languages ​​in middle and old age, or is the amazing ability to maintain intellectual sharpness in old age simply due to good genetics.